{Family} Derek, Jill and Shayla

There is no greater joy for a friend than to see her friend become a parent. At least this is the case for me as I watched with delight my friend Jill be a mom!

Jill and I have know each other since she was only a few weeks old and I only a few months older... well our families have know each other that long - I'm not sure how much interaction we actually had while were both babes in our mother's arms! Regardless, we have been apart of each others lives pretty much for as long as we have been alive! (It's a cute story really... My mom was out for a walk with my two older brothers and me in tow when this little boy ran out onto his driveway to say "hi," and to invite us into his house to meet his new baby sister! While his mom was not so excited to have visitors, let along strangers, in her house at that particular moment it ended up being the beginning of a lifelong friendship between our families. Our older brothers are BFF's our parents travel together and Jill and her husband are two of my biggest encouragers!!).

And now, Jill and her husband Derek have become parents themselves. And it was real joy for me to meet Shayla this past December when I was home for a visit and to see my lifelong friend Jill embrace her role as mommy to this sweet little gift and treasure that she and Derek waited so long for to make their twosome into a family of three! What a gift it was to me to spend the afternoon with them in Fort Langley when I was home.

Hello gorgeous little girl. Seriously, look at those eyes!!!

To warm up and to do a little something different, we went to Tracycakes in Fort Langley where Shayla ate a cupcake, at looked super cute while doing it!!

Seriously, could she be any cuter?

Love & Sunshine,

Shannon-May

Feeling Inspired And SO Impatient

Yesterday I spent a few hours with Eric and Sarah at You're Invited designing my new packaging and stationary! I came home uber inspired and very impatient - I have been working up a new look for Shannon May Photography and soooo badly want to share it with you all. But...

I have plans for where I want Shannon May Photography to go but I need to learn to be patient with when and how I take the next step, which means that until everything that I want/need is in place I have to keep my new look under lock and key. I want all the T's are crossed and all the I's are dotted before I make the big reveal because this look is the look!

As I exercise a little patience and self-control I am finding myself more inspired and more motivated to get all the little bits worked out so that I can move forward with my brand and start better communicating the image I want people to have of Shannon May Photography and the experience I want people to have when they choose me to be their photographer.

Love & Sunshine,
Shannon-May

{Passing On The Love} Luxe Day Spa and Salon

One of the most important things to me as a small business owner is to see other entrepreneurs and small businesses succeed! I firmly believe in the benefits of community and this belief exists in my professional life just as much as it does in my personal life!! And, I want to make sure that the world knows about the awesome people I get to know and work with as a part of my own small enterprise!! Thus, I have created the Passing On The Love interview series, a regular feature that introduces you to someone great and gives a little insight to who they are [and what their business can offer you]!! 

Please meet Judy McCarty and Tiffany Pike, owners of Luxe Day Spa and Salon in St. Stephen, NB. 

I first came to know about Judy, Tiffany and Luxe when I went there to photograph my September bride Carolyn. Tiffany was the hairstylist behind Carolyn's gorgeous contemporary up-do, and Judy was the master artist responsible for Carolyn's gorgeous and glamorous makeup! 

The salon is as beautiful as Tiffany and Judy are, and provides a very aesthetically pleasing and relaxing environment for any patron. My favourite space in the whole place: Judy spa room - the black and white damask wall paper and hot pink accessories makes the girly-girl in me so happy!!

Here, in their own words is a bit about the salon, and Tiffany and Judy's vision for their business.

Tell me about your business. What are you doing/offering, etc?

We are a full service spa & Salon. We offer great service with a selection of retail products. We try to stay up to date with anything that is current in the beauty world. We want to bring exciting new things to our town such as: Hair Feathers, Spray tanning, etc. We are always on the look out for new "trends" to stay current. We offer everything to do a full makeover! Come in get a spray tan, nails, makeup, new cut & colour! You can leave our spa feeling like a million bucks!! We also offer spa parties. They are great for a girl's night out, bachelorette, bridal, baby showers, and birthday parties. If you come up with any fun ideas we will try to accommodate!

How long have you been doing what you are doing? (When did you start your business, When did you enter this profession, etc)?

We have been in our profession for about 5 years. We went to school together for hair & esthetics, and had decided that we would one day open a spa & salon named "LUXE" and worked hard to accomplish our dream! We finally opened our doors to Luxe Day Spa & Salon in August of 2011 with lots of help from our family and friends. We have wonderful clients and without everyone's support we wouldn't have made it! So we send many thanks to our family, friends, and clients who have also become like family! Xo

What do you love most about what you do?

Our jobs allow us to be very creative. Everyday is different so it NEVER gets boring!! We love our jobs and going to work everyday doesn't feel like "work" so we think we are in the right profession :)

Whether you are offering a service or a product to your customers, there is an experience that you they have when dealing with your business. What kind of experience do you want you customers to have with you?

We want people to come in and relax and have the attention focused only on them while they are at our business. We take our time and never rush clients in and out. If clients want to vent and get things off their chest about how their day/life is going we want them to feel comfortable in doing so. We keep our lips sealed so vent/gossip away. At the same time some clients come in to have peace and quiet and would prefer not to speak, so come in enjoy a nice flavoured coffee or tea during your service while you relax :)

What inspires you to grow or be more creative in your field, and in running your business?

We strive to be the best that we can be. We have learned overate years that it is impossible to please everyone, but we will do a damn good job trying to! We want our small town to thrive and for people to not have to go to a city to have a "city" environment/experience. Many people think they have to venture outside of our town to get the latest up to date hairstyles/spa services, but we are always trying to stay one step ahead and offer anything that is new.

All of have us have dreams and goals for our businesses. What are some of your dreams and goals that you wish to share and experience with your customers?

We hope as the years go by that our business will grow. We have future plans to add onto our staff and our service menus. We hope clients continue to grow with us.

Besides offering your businesses services or products, what are some other ways you wish to serve Charlotte County through your business?

We try to help out local organizations by donating our services when they have fundraisers, or Gift certificates. We know how important it is for our town to stick together and to try to help out if it is possible.

I think a lot people are not aware of how awesome it is to live in Charlotte County. What are some reasons why you have chosen to be here, and to own a business in here?

We both grew up in the area, so it is great knowing the people in your town. It makes their experience a little more personal like you are chatting with a friend. Growing up it always seemed to be everyone's goal to get out of this town, but we are both very close to our family and friends here and as you get older you come to realize our town isn't so bad and that it actually is a great place to live and to have a family. Owning a small business in a small town is probably easier than if we lived in a big city because we know a lot of the locals, and it is a small town so word of mouth travels fast! If someone comes in and loves their service they will tell a friend, who will tell a friend, etc so our client base will continue to grow. As long as we continue to provide great service then people will recommend us. We hope someday our business will expand to offer some jobs to locals, or people that want to live in our town. We also hope to see other small businesses open to provide jobs so our town doesn't become a ghost town. Competition is healthy and keeps our town thriving and it is always good to support local businesses so they don’t have to close their doors.

What has been the most challenging part of starting a small business or running a small business?

The most challenging part of starting and running a small business is the unknown. It is really a big leap to quit your job and invest thousands of dollars and then some into a business that you can see so vividly in your mind and hoping that others see if too. We both dove into our venture with high hopes and determination, and so far it has been successful. We just have to cross our fingers and hope our venture continues to thrive.

What has been the most rewarding part of starting a small business or running a small business?

The most rewarding part of running a small business is being able to be as creative with it as we want. It is nice to be your own "boss". If something goes wrong we only have ourselves to blame. Our future depends on us so everything is in our hands :)

Here are a few pictures from Carolyn's September wedding and a few pictures from an inspiration wedding shoot that Judy and Tiffany did the gorg hair and make-up for!!

Pass the love and share this interview with all your friends!

Happy Monday,

Shannon-May

Seasons of Trust

‎"Sometimes to trust is like spring - a season of new possibilities and new life. Sometimes to trust is like autumn - a season of letting go and saying goodbye." ~ Rachael B, a very wise woman.

I love comparing the eb and flow of one's relationship with God to the season of the natural world. After all, He did have a hand in creating it so it totally makes sense that the way our lives, our loves and our relationships mimic the rhythms of God's other creations.

Today I was reminded of one of my all-time favourite painting: Four trees by Egon Schiele. I remember when I first discovered it in 2008 while visiting the Belvedere in Vienna. I was memorized by the colourscape. I was perplexed by the depiction of the trees and the appearance that the healthiest or most in bloom looking tree of the four was supported in the same manner as the one who had lost her leaves. Only today though did I see as a picture of trust.

Regardless of the season I find my self in, still I must Trust.

Honeybeans & The Art of Saturday Afternoons

Today, with some excited spontaneity, I texted my BFF with the idea of heading out to a favourite watering hole of mine, Honeybeans. Shelley replied with resounding "yes!" and within an hour we were enroute to Saint Andrews-By-the-Sea. After ordering a cup of the Ethopian blend and one of their delicious gooey squares (a peanut butter rice krispy square topped with chocolate - yes, yum!), I settled into my chair and proceeded to read the first pages of Ann Voskamps "One Thousand Gifts." 

As I sat there in my favourite coffee shop, drinking my coffee, savouring my treat and soaking in Voskamp's reflections on Grace, my soul breathed a great sigh relief, saying this is what I needed today. 

If "art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect" it would seem then, sometimes, that art is simply taking a day off.